Journal of Korean Geriatric Psychiatry

노인정신의학

pISSN 1226-6329 / eISSN 2733-4600


노인정신의학

대한노인정신의학회 (8권2호 113-120)

Literacy and Neuropsychological Functions in the Older Korean Adults

한국 장노년 성인의 문식성과 신경심리기능

문혜성(Hye Sung Moon);최진영(Jean Yung Chey)

Abstract

Objectives:This study examined the effects of illiteracy on neuropsychological functions of older Korean adults. Illiteracy was evaluated with the Literacy Questionnaire which involved interview with the subjects. Methods:The participants were 206 healthy people, ages between 55 and 84, who were sampled in the Seoul-Kyungki region and Chungnam province. Results:The results revealed that verbal memory tests were not disadvantageous to illiterate people. Rather non-verbal tasks such as the copy condition of the Simple Rey Figure Test and the Clock Drawing Test proved disadvantageous. Conclusion:Literacy appears to be beneficial to the development of visuospatial abilities. Neuropsychological tests that involve visuospatial function may not be efficient in discriminating dementia patients who are illiterate.

Keywords

문식성,문맹,신경심리검사,치매,시계그리기 검사, Literacy,Illiterate,Neuropsychological test,Dementia,Clock Drawing Test